3 Red Bulls and a Shop-Vac

[cubfan33]

There are days I think I understand baseball ... you know, it's a simple game. Yet underneath it, there's no much interplay and interconnection, action and reaction that I know that I will NEVER know it all, not half and that no one else will figure it out either. It's like that with the Indians lately. Every time I think I glimpse their master plan, they zig when I'm expecting a zag. A SIX man rotation just as several teams are ready to make the jump to the four man? How any team can think of adding a guy to the rotation when Rany Jazayerli just made an airtight case for dropping one is beyond me. One thing I'm learning is that fear of failure is holding baseball back more than lack of creativity.

It's a quiet day on the injury front ... but I'm thinking that like my dad on the Gulf Coast, I'm just in the eye of the storm.

We should get some hints from some teams in the next week of how they want to set up rotations going into the playoffs. Keep your eyes out for guys going on three days rest in order to get extra starts (Kevin Appier, Jarod Washburn) or guys being pushed back a day (Braves and Yankees staff.) The Yanks will also give a lot of clues how they will get Mariano Rivera set up with workouts early this week.

Again, the Angels are the team least likely to be able to deal with injury and now Garrett Anderson is down with a hamstring. The downside is not only losing a player that's percieved as valuable, but having to use what was a strength (good pinch hitting) as a replacement and worse, the distinct possibility that Anderson will be rushed back.

Mark McLemore made it back quickly from elbow surgery, but a strained groin has put him on the shelf for the year. As my IM buddy Knuckle would say, stick a fork in the Mariners. They're done. Expect them back next year as they plug some very small holes and make a major run at Hideki Matsui.

Josh Beckett was given an emergency "start" last night and he was followed to the mound by A.J. Burnett. If they have to be out there, at least they're being handled reasonably properly. Why are they being babied, finally? They may be the only two guys that the Marlins aren't shopping right now. Is Jeff Loria short his own team's stock? Is there some accounting trick by which he can make money off empty seats? Heck, even Beckett isn't completely in the clear with two teams who have recently asked about him being told he'd be available for the right package of prospects and players whose contracts would be absorbed by the trading team.

Jose Cruz was activated by the Blue Jays. There's not much more to it than that. I'm sure he'll play some, but how much may tip us all as to J.P.'s plans - is Cruz still the trade bait he's always been or might he be back in Toronto? If he comes back, how does the outfield shake out with Josh Phelps as the DH and Jayson Werth ready to play somewhere.

Denny Neagle left his start today with back spasms, but shouldn't miss much time. The Rockies have to figure out how to make room for some of their up and coming arms ... and figure out how to win in Colorado. Do we know that any of Dan O'Dowd's plans haven't worked?

At the game today, we decided that at the winter meetings, each GM should come into the room and stand up, like AA, and say "My name is (blank) and my bad contract is (blank)." Then, they eat the contract. Dave Littlefield is excused, since he had Derek Bell this season, but is there a team that doesn't have one deal that they sorely regret? It's fun to try and figure out which one your favorite GM might eat, isnt it?

Mark Redman is now done for the season. Luckily, the Tigers have been done for the season since about May. Redman has a dead arm and should have no ill effects by spring training. Redman is a big part of what the Tigers hope to do next year, but this franchise is so messed up right now with a horrid contract situation, low cash flow and a weak minor league system that Detroit's likely going to be looking forward to next year for a couple more years at least.

Special thanks to the reader to be named later for being a gracious host today for our trip today. In a crisp game, two three-run homers were the difference and I can tell grandchildren that I saw Sammy's 496th career home run. Or 500th. Think they'll check Rotosheet to figure it out?

Next report is tomorrow on Fox as usual. I need ideas for our next contest.

[VNV Nation]

Will, I was going to ask you to comment on the four-man rotation thing.

Actually, I think the six-man would make a lot of sense, especially for the Yankees. They have six quality starters, and a lot of old starters. Roger Clemens could probably go 18-5 every year until he's 44 on a six-man rotation.

I thought Rany's study was interesting but obviously flawed. He's starting with a blatantly biased dataset -- pitchers who were capable of going every 4 days, which make up a small percent of all pitchers...the fact that Steve Carlton or Nolan Ryan can pitch on 3 days rest doesn't do much to convince me that it's the best thing for Randy Lerch. Of course the situations in which they would go on short rest would most likely follow short outings and possibly against weaker teams.

[CpUltravox]

In some cases, and certainly in the Indians, I think the 6 man rotation makes sense.

We argued the merits of the 40-man roster expansion in another thread, but if we are to expand rosters, the 6-man rotation makes sense.

The 4-man roster has merit in that it helps a team win more games by putting the most skilled pitchers on the mound more often. I would argue that winning games right now is a secondary goal for the Cleveland Indians. Right now, there's 6 pitchers under 24 who the Indians need to see pitch - and starting assignments have many more controllable variables than relief assignments.

For the major league scouts, coaches, and front office personnel to get the looks at these kids that is required, it is imperative that they be put in a controlled situation where they get work. For 2 weeks, after starting in the minors all year, long relief is not that situation.

I'm not sure 2 weeks of being up and down in a bullpen, warming up 3 times in 2 days, and then throwingf 40 pitches in a game is a safe way to make a pitcher throw, if he hasn't done anything like it before in his professional life.

In short, the secondary goal right now is for the Indians to win ballgames, the primary is talent evaluation - which is easier to gauge with a 6-man (and especially considering the Indians play a twin-bill tonight).

[sweaver]

Eat the contract? You mean like literally, eat the contract, salt, pepper ketchup, etc?

That would be cool.

[SmedIndy]

Originally posted by sweaver
Eat the contract? You mean like literally, eat the contract, salt, pepper ketchup, etc?

That would be cool.

It could be the next secret ingredient!

[KCBOOMER]

When I became a baseball fan every team used the fourman rotation so I don't see any big deal in going back to it other than the time it will take pitchers to acclimatize to it. Teams used four man rotations four 60-70 years before the 5 man idea was adopted.

[moose]

Originally posted by KCBOOMER
When I became a baseball fan every team used the fourman rotation so I don't see any big deal in going back to it other than the time it will take pitchers to acclimatize to it. Teams used four man rotations four 60-70 years before the 5 man idea was adopted.
i like using a rotation of all of your pitchers who are good enough for you to want to start them.

the yanks have 6 quality starters - i dont see why they shouldn't use a 6-man rotation.

other teams might only have 2 QS, and might be better off using the assumed minimum of 4.

[cubfan33]

I LIKE the idea of the four man and disagree that Rany's study is flawed. I think Rany clearly made his case - you can disagree, but the five man has some issues. I don't think the six man would be the best thing for many, but if you think you have THAT many quality guys, you may want to look at the Fuson "paired starter" model. I really don't think the Yanks have any starting depth this year and that their age is catching up to them ... they SHOULD win, but it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't and I can see something of a slide coming up.

If not a four man, do something creative if what you're doing isnt working.